The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Drug Authority (NDA) has confiscated over 200 boxes of assorted medicines during a five-day enforcement operation conducted in 16 districts in northern Uganda.
The authority also issued closure notices to 164 drug outlets that have been operating without necessary requirements, across the districts of Gulu, Nwoya, Amuru, Omoro, Kitgum, Lamwo, Agago, Pader, Lira, Alebtong, Otuke, Kwania, Apac, Oyam, Kole and Dokolo. The entire operation which involved visiting 551 drug shops.
The operation which ended yesterday morning also saw the closure of 23 veterinary drug shops that were being run by unqualified individuals.
Fredrick Ssekyana the Authority’s spokesperson told Uganda Radio Network that medicines estimated at 76 million Shillings were impounded as they were being sold by traders in makeshift markets.
From one place, NDA recovered malaria tests kits that could serve 5,700 patients, antimalarial drugs, family planning injections, gloves, syringes and drugs labelled Government of Uganda, Not for sale. Ssekyana says these were recovered from Goodlife drug shop in Pajule, Pader District.
The operation in these areas was a follow up of another conducted in May in which several cartons of the government of Uganda drugs were confiscated and some quack pharmacists arrested.
These recent raids bring the total of closed drug outlets this year to 816 and impounded medicines to close to 560 million Shillings including the operations held early in the year in Central, West Nile and Eastern Uganda.
In all of them Sekyaana says they found many drug shops being run in facilities that don’t meet the standards something that compromises drug quality and yet others were run by unqualified individuals’ despite being registered by NDA and having a registered qualified in- charge on paper.
In other drugs he said, they found them being run as clinics, admitting and injecting patients. Ssekyaana adds that drug pilferage from public health facilities compromises the quality of health service delivery and patients in dire need of medicines hence discrediting government programmes.
*****
URN
